Mall-bag



T. C. SHEPPARD.

MAIL BAG.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. 1920.

1,354,581 Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

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UNITED STATES TEAFORD C. SHEPARD, OF SOUTH RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

MAIL-'B AG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 0015.5, 1920.

Application filed May 22, 1920. Serial No. 383,453.

ing means for mail bags, wherein a plu-l raility of auxiliary swivelly'mounted locking members are employed to enter slotted l plates of the closure of the mail bag, and

also wherein a. reciprocating element common to all of the locking members is employed for moving the members so that they may enter or be withdrawn from the slotted plates of the closure in combination with means for locking the reciprocatingl element, when the closure is closed.

Heretofore locking members of the character shown have been employed and also in connection with a reciprocating element common to all of the locking members for actuating them, but such reciprocating elements` heretofore ,used are `guided so that thereis no movement of the element permitted transversely of the reciprocating movement, and in this case it has been necessary heretofore to use slot connections with the links carried by the locking members to permit the links to bevoscillated by the reciprocating element. Furthermore, in these locking devices heretofore employed the reciprocating elements are in the form of a metallic bar, hence rendering it necessary to provide the slot connections with .the links. In the present `device it is the aim to overcome these disadvantages and to provide a flexible or pliable reciprocating1 element mounted in aV guide ofthe mail bag and being pivoted direct tothe links, so as to lock and unlock the Vlocking members, and in this device the reciprocating element is capable of4 Lmovement laterally, to the longitudinal movement of the element so as to permit the locking members to be moved. V

A further object is the provision of a mail bag including a novel form of locking means, therefor, which is capable of being cheaply manufactured and sold at a reasonable profit.` and one which has been found simple, efficient and practical in construction.

IVhile the design and construction at present illustrated and set forth is deemed preferable, it is obvious that as a result of a reduction of the invention to a more practical form for commercial purposes, the invention may be susceptible to changes, and the right to these changes is claimed, provided they are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises 'further features and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter set forth, Shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings Figure l is a view in elevation of the improved mail bag constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the locking mechanism applied and constructed in accor-:lance with the invention;

2 is a. view in elevation showing the flap open thereby clearly showing the locking mechanism and the locking members in anunloeked position, Y

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through ythe mail bag showing the lockingmembers in an unlocked position so that the flap can be opened,

F ig. 4lis a detail perspective view of a portion of the reciprocating member.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a mail bag which may be any suitable or conventiona form or construction, and is provided with an opening 2, whereby access may be had to the interior of the bag. One side of the mail bag has a closure flap 3 which is provided with a plurality of slots 4:, ane adjacent the exterior-surface of the flap 3 are shield plates 5 also having slots 6 conform-ing to the slots'in the leather closure flap. In fact I the mail bag may be constructed of any suitable material preferably leather or the like.y therefore, it is necessary to line the slots inthe closure Hap. These shield plates are riveted at 7 to the closure so as to hold them in place. lie other side of the mail bag has the edge adjacent the opening terminating in an extension 8 which is folded over adjacent the Yside of the mail bag and stitched at 9. This folded part 8 has riveted to its outer face plates 9 provided with openings 1l in which the shanks 12 of the locking members 13 are swivelly mountmembers the Shanks are provided With shoulders 14 Which engage certain of theriveted plates While the ends of the Shanks are swaged as shown at 1G toy provide heads. The Shanks adjacentthe heads, and in fact also the parts engagingv through the opening of the riveted plates are rectangular, and connected to the Shanks under the heads are the ends ofthe links 17.V These links are movable with the Shanks of' the locking members and furthermore they are movable in planes parallel to each other. These links are in turn pivotally connected to a reciprocating element as at 18. This reciprocating element 19 is constructed of any suitable material preferably pliable material such as heavy leather and is mounted under the folded part 8 of the side of the mail bag. One end of the reciprocating velement eX- tends beyond one-of the ends of the folded part 8 beyond the end stitching of the folded part 8 ivhile the other end 20 ,extends through the slot or slit 21 of the folded part S.

The end 2O of the reciprocating element is provided yWith a slot A22 and engaging the opposite faces of the element adjacent the slot 22 are Shield plates 23Which are riveted to the end` 2O of the element. These shield plates have slots 24 registeringwith the slot of the reciprocating element and by means Y ofthe shieldplates Such end of the recipro` eating element isstiffened and'ireinforced. A plate is mounted on the outer faceV of the folded part 8 and passing through thisplate 25 and through the folded partv and the side of the mail bag are rivets 26 thereby securely riveting the plate in place. A

staple 27 is provided and is projected later?v ally from the plate 25. The arms of `the* staple have their ends reduced and pass through the plate 25 and through a plate 28 on the inner surface of the 'side of the mail bag. The ends of the reduced parts of the Y arms ofthe staple are swaged thereby forming locking position, after V'they have entered through the slots 5 and G of the closure'flap and .the vplates vvhich are carried bythe flap. The flap 'at one end has a shield plate lined slot .29 through Which ythe staple alsoV engages and When so engaged a `shackle of a conventional form of ypadlock may engage the staple and holdY the -flap closed. The padlock is designated by the numeral 30 and may be any suitable construction. The shield plate 31 of the shield plate lined slot of the flap is riveted at 32 to the closure flap.

Suitable links 33 are connected to one side ofv bag by means of the loop straps 34 and connected to the links 33 is a shoulder' strapl 35. The shoulder strap Yis connected to the links bya conventional form of snap hook as illustrated.

The locking members are T-shaped and it will be noted that When the reciprocating element is moved in one direction the heads 87 of the T-shaped locking members aline with the slots of the closure flap so as to'permit the heads to pass therethrough and When the' reciprocating element is moved inthe opposite direction, the elements are disposed so thatthe heads will overlie the Slots at right angles to the slots thereby holding the iap ina closed position. It will be noted that the reciprocating element is constructed so as to conform to the mail bag and in order to flex and conform to the body of the carrier. One end of the reciprocating element has an opening 3S through which the finger or thumb of the hand may engage for removing the reciprocating element in one direction or the other.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is:V

In a locking mechanismV forpmail bag closure flaps, a mail bag having an opening and a closure flap therefor provided with a plurality of reinforced slots, a plurality of locking members on one side of the bag near the opening, means including reinforcing plates swvivelly mounting said locking members' on the side of the bag, said locking 'members when positioned to aline with the .reinforced slots of the flap, adapted to'pass through the slots, a plurality of links con-v nectedV to and movablexwith theV swivelly mounted ends ofthe locking fmembers, a pliable strip mounted for reciprocating movement in the side of the bag, which carries the locking members and being movable bodily `in a direction toward and from vthe locking members and means operatively connecting the links'V to the strap,and means for locking the strap when it has moved bodily toward the lockingimembers to hold the locking members'at right angles to the slots after passing therethrough.

j In testimony whereof .I hereunto atlix my signature.. V

` TEArjoRDc. SHPPARD.- 

